At least 21 killed in South Africa highway crash
Two minibus taxis and an SUV collided on the N1 in the Western Cape, leaving four people seriously injured and closing a section of the highway.
At least 21 people have died after two Toyota minibus taxis and a Suzuki SUV collided on South Africa’s N1 highway in the early hours of Monday, according to police spokesperson Warrant Officer Christopher Spies.
Eighteen people were declared dead at the scene, while three others later died in hospital. Four people were seriously injured.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation said the crash closed the N1 between Prince Albert and Leeu-Gamka, about 380 kilometres east of Cape Town. The death toll may change as emergency services and Western Cape authorities complete their assessment.
The collision was one of two major crashes reported in South Africa over two days. Eight people were killed in a separate accident near Ermelo in Mpumalanga on Sunday.
Nearly 11,500 people died in road accidents across South Africa in 2025, according to the Transport Ministry. The cause of Monday’s collision and the identities of those killed have not been provided.
